Explosionproof fuse



May '25, 1926.

1,586,011 W. w. SLQANE;

EXPLOSION PROOF FUSE Sheets-Sheet 1 original Filedduly 10, 1920 u May 25 1926.

1,586,011 w. w. sLoANE' EXPLOSION PROOF FUSE Original Filed July 10 .1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vau Patented May 25, 19276..

iillhllh W. LOANE, OF CICGO, LLINOIS, .ASSGNOB TO GOODMAN MANUFACTUR- PATE'NT joFFicE..

Edili' COETEANY, 0F GHICAGO, ILLINOS, A CORPORATION OF ILLII'OIB.

nxriios-Ionrnoor FUSE.

ppllcatiou Med July 10, `1920, Serial' No'. 395,322.- Beuewed November V6, 1924.

is enclosed in the casing, and cannot be removed there-from Without first breaking the electric circuit. y

The further objectv ofv this invention is t provide a construction in which it is practically impossible to insert a substitute for the `fuse element between the fuse connections, thereby aording a protection against exposed fuse connections.

Further objects Will appear from the following description, reterence'being had to l 'the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a. vertical cross-section of my iinproved device, showing the fuse element in locked position in the casing.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the connecting Wires in place. c

Figure 3 is-a cross-section taken on line 3*-3 oil Figure l.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the derice. I

Figures 5. and 6 are details. Referring now to details of my construction, my device comprime two' main elements, namely; an outer casing 1 and a removable fuse holder 2, adapted to hold a standard fuse element 20, and to `be inserted in the casing 1 and locked therein, so as to provide a practically air-tight enclosure for the inse, ihe outer casing 1 comprises a cylindrical body 3 preferably of metal mounted on a base il, having extending lugs 5, for inounting'the device in any suitable manner. The inner portion of the casing 3 is insulated by suitable-means such as an annular insulation ring 8, and an insulatioi'i disk 9 adjacent the base e. A second insu llation disk 10 abuts the insulating ring 8 and is removed from the disk 9 so as to form a com artment therebetween, indicated at 11. e'disk 10 carries a pair of fuse clips 12, 12 extending inwardly and enclosed in the compartment 11. An auxiliary insulating disk 13 may be superfiinposed on'the lvided with a handle 17".

disk 10, and all of the insulating pieces just described are retained in place by an annular metallic ring 14-threadedfinto the casing 3, as shown in Figure 1. A pin 15 in the casin is adapted to register with a suitable noto 16 on the edge of the insulation plate 10 to properly position the latter in the casing.

The fuse holding element 2 comprises a cylindrical plug member 17, adapted to. t tightly in the cylinder body 3, and having a long bearing surface therein, so as to provide an explosion-proof joint, thru which any flame from an are, or an explosion caused thereby, in the-casing, cannot reach the outer air. Saidholding element is pro- Loclring flanges 18, 18 extend laterally from the outer end 'of the. plug member 17,- and are adapted for locking engagement with the lips 19, 19' on the casing.

A fuse element 20'is clamped to the holding element 2 by means of a holder piece'21 extending inwardly from the plug member 17, and forming a holding piece for the fuse 20, and a clip, lor band 22, preferabl `attached at each end to the plug member 1i and passing around the Aholding piece 21 and f the fuse 20'to hold both in place.

The fuse 20 may be of the usual cartridge type 'having either a renewable link, voran ordinary destructible link, as desired. .Such fuses usually have metallic 23a of non-conducting material which forms a casing .for .the enclosed fusible element.

The holding piece 21 4is preferably made of insulating material and has an end lface shaped to receive the fuse casing, as shown. rlhe fuse terminals 12, 12v areconnected to `the outside circuit by means of terminal end pieces 23, 23, and a central body portion l icoI from the outside circuit, as 'indicated in Figi ure 2.y l also provide a suitable cap 35 which covers 'the recess 32. In case the conductors ,33 and 34 areenclosed in a'conduit 36, I

' cap 35 thru which the conduit 36 extends,

' and is secured to said cap by a removable connectin in the casing so that the fuse movement, the locking come locked, and provide a practically airtaining lips 19, 19.

clip 38. It will be understood, however, that any other suitable arrangement for connecting the conductor wires 26 and 27 with. the outside circuit rmay be employed, if desired.

It will be observed that the clips l2, 12 are similar to'each other in construction, but face in opposite directions to each other, so as to receive the end of fuse element'20 when the latter is rotated into contacting engagement therebetween as will here1nafter be described. A preferable method. of

the conductor wires to their respective c ips 12, 12 is by inserting the bare end of one of the wires 26, 26 thru a suitable groove 39 cut in the lowerV face of the clip 12, so as to pass thereunder and be secured on a binding post 12 at the opposite end thereof. The other conductor wire 27 is secured directly to the bindin p ost 12b.

Figure 5 shows the shape of t e insulating plate 10 which forms the artltion of the inner compartment 11. T 1s plate 1s provided.' with an elongated aperture 24 so proportioned.4 as to allow the fuse 2O to pass therethru, but arranged at right angles to the normal osition ofthe fuse when the ends 23, 23, t ereof, are engaged 1n the :fuse clips 12, 12. The ,plate 13 is also provided with a similarly shaped aperture 25.

The operation of the device is as follows: The fuse and fuse holder may be inserted passes thru Aapertures 24 and 25, and the locking flanges 18, 18, are out of engilgement with the ree holding element 2 is then rotated in the casing by means of the handle 40 S0 that the ends 23, 23 of the fuse element are brought into engagement with the retaining clips 12, 12. By the same flanges 18, 18 betight compartment-for .the fuse. It will be clear that in order to unlock the fuse holder from the casing, it is necessary to reverse the above described action by rotating the holder so as to move the ends '23, 23 of the fuse element out of engagement with the retaining clips 12, 12 before the locking anges 18, 18 can be unlocked and the fuse element withdrawn from the casmg. l

A further feature of my invention is a construction which vmakes -it practically impossible for a careless operator to insert a substitute for the fuse element so as to close the circuit within the casing while the casing is unlocked. It is well known to those familiar with the operation of safety devices of this character, that in spite ofall warnin s as to the danger of overloading a circuit, and of explosions caused by open fuse contacts, yet a large proportion of operators will ignore all provisions for their own welfare by attemptmg to contrive some method of defeating the purpose of the safety device. Une of the common practices is to connect the ordinary fuse terminals with fuse wire, and in fact commonwire,l and vmany other articles are used for this purpose. It will be seen, however, that with my improved construction, it is practically impossible to reach the retaining clips 12, 12 for the purpose of'connecting these terminals with any substitute for the fuse element in the manner above suggested. 'While it may be possible to insert fuse wire or other substitute for the cartridge 20, yet when this is done, the cartridge must be clamped in the fuse holder 2, and the entire element inserted in the casing before proper contact of the fuse device can be made. Therefore, my device affords a protection against exposed fuse connections.

vHaving describedmy' invention what I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent, is:

l. In combination with a fuse member of the cartridge type, a casing having an opening, a pair of contacts for said fuse member in said casing, a partition intermediate said opening and said contacts having a restricted aperture affording a passageway for said fuse member ina position removed from engagement with said contacts. and a holding element having a portion thereof adapted to form a closure for said opening, and a second portion adapted to detachably secure the fuse member intermediate its ends. and to projectv said fuse member thru said restricted aperture, whereby said fuse member fuse member in a' position removed from en#y gagement with said contacts, and a holding element having a. portion thereof adapted to form a closure for said opening, and a secr ond portion adapted lto detachably secure the fuse member intermediate its ends, and

to project said fuse member thru said restricted aperture, whereby said fuse member may be moved into and out of engagement with said contacts when said vholding elementl is in closed position in the casing, and means independent of said contacts for locking the said holding element in the casing in all positions of engagement between said fuse element and said contacts.

3. In combination with a fuse member of the cartridge type, a casing having a cylin- .drical opening, a pair of contacts for said having a restricted aperture affording a passageway for said fuse member in a position removed from engagement with said v contacts, and a removable element having a portion thereof adapted to rotate in said opening and to'form a closure therefor, and

a second portion adapted to detachably secure the fuse member intermediate its ends, and to project said fuse member thru said restricted aperture, whereby said fuse member may be moved into and out of engagement with said contacts when said removable element isin closed position in the cas- In combination with a fuse member of lthe cartridge type, a casing havinga cyl v lindrical openinga pair of contactsfor said fuse member in said casing, a partition intermediate said opening and said contacts having a restricted aperture afording a.

passageway for said fuse member in a position removed from engagement with said contacts, a removable element having a portion thereof adapted' to rotate in said open- 4ing and to form a closure therefor, and a second portion adapted to detachably secure the fuse member intermediate its ends, and to project said fuse member thru said restricted aperture, whereby said fuse memlte ber may be moved into and out of engagement with said contacts when said removable element is in closed 'po'sition in the casing, and means 'independent of said contacts for lockingsaid holding element in the casing in all positions .of engagement be.

tween said fuse element and said contacts,

5. In a device of the` class described, a casing having an olpening, an elongated f'use member, a fuse ho ding element adapted for rotation in said casing, and havinga portion thereof adapted. to hold said fuse mem- 'ber intermediate its ends with its longer 45 axis at an angle tothe axis of rotation of said holdingelement, electrical contacts in said casing for the ends of said fuse member, and a partition intermediate said opening 'and said contacts having a restricted aperture therethru affording a passageway for said fuse member in a position removed from said contacts.

6. In a device of the" class described, a casing having an opening, an elongated fuse member, a fuse holding element adapted for rotation in said casing, and having a portion thereof adapted to hold said fuse member intermediate its ends with its longer axis at an angle to the axis of rotation of said v partition fixed in saidcasing and forming y a compartment therein, a pair of contacts for said fuse member mounted on said partition and spaced'frornl each other Within said compartment, said partition having an .elongated slot adapted to aord. passage of said fuse 'member in a positionv removed from said contacts, a holding element for said fuse member, adapted to form a closure for the casing opening and locking means independent of said contacts adapted to lock 4said holding member against longitudinal movement while said fuse member is engaged with said contacts. y

8. In combination with a fuse member of the cartridge type, va casing, an insulating partition ixd in said` casing and forming a Compartment therein, a pair of spring clips each adapted' to receive an end of said fuse member and opening in directions opposite to each other, said clips being mounted on Said partition and spaced from each other within said compartment, said partition having an elongated slot adapted to vafford passage of said fuse member in a position removed from said clips, and a removable circular fuse holding member having a portion thereof adapted to hold a fuse element intermediate the ends of the latter, said 

